Kansas lawmakers approve raises for state workers in budget

TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas legislators on Saturday approved pay raises of up to 5 percent to state workers who haven't had any in recent years as lawmakers wrapped up work on budget issues and adjourned their unusually long annual session.

Both chambers passed a single bill containing proposed state budgets for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and the one starting in July 2018. The votes of 88-27 in the House and 27-11 in the Senate sent the measure to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.

Legislators already have passed a separate plan increasing spending on public schools to meet a court mandate and earlier this week enacted an income tax increase over Brownback's veto to balance the budget and provide the extra money for education.

The tax increase also allows for pay raises for state workers, who haven't seen across-the-board raises for all employees approved since 2008. Small groups of workers have received pay raises to make their salaries more competitive with other states or private employment, and the state provided a one-time, $250 bonus in 2013.